Red Strings in the Flowers
by EternalSpiderLily
Summary: Dropped project. Focuses on the bonds between Ai and her "family", Ai and Ichimokuren, and each of Ai's followers with each other.


**A/N- I was orinally planning on making this a rather long story, but I ended up being lazy and dropping the project. If I actually end up getting decent reviews on this first chapter, I _may _consider trying to pick it up again. But most of my effort will go towards my Naruto fanfic, so...at least enjoy this part!**

* * *

They stood side by side, in the place that they always did. Life here was unchanging, as usual. The same eternal sunset dyed the river in twilight, the same lonely little house stood in the sea of red spider lilies, and the girl stood on the banks of the river in her nagajuban. The boy wandered away for a minute, only to return with one of the so called flowers of Hell. "Hey Ai…why do the humans call it the "Flower of Hell?" It's not like any of them have been here and returned to tell the tale…" The girl answered. "Ichimokuren. Consider how it seems to them. What other flower would dare to grace these banks but one such as this?" "Well…that's a good point. Here," he said, handing the flower to her.

At this moment, another girl ran up. "There's a job for yooou! ~ Hey, what's this?" she asked, taking the flower. The girl with the flower, the one known as Ai, quietly pulled the flower out of her grasp and whispered "Do not touch it. Go and pick one of your own." The childish girl replied "NO! I want THAT one, because YOU have it!" And with that she snatched the red spider lily and ran back in the direction of the house. "Kikuri! Come back here with that!" yelled the unusual boy known as Ichimokuren. In truth, though, each of them was very unusual, each with their own story. Even the small girl known as Kikuri, who not much was known about. In fact, the small group of people was brought together due to these anomalies. They bonded them together, almost like a family. And you could say they were one, apart from the fact that their very existence as one was a curse. It was a damned existence, that tied them down for what seemed like millennia. But one day, after thousands of years, it came to an abrupt close. The girl had paid her debt of sins, and now the story of her second afterlife was about to begin. But…is that really what she wanted?

* * *

After the girl known as Kikuri stole Ai's flower, and after Ichimokuren chased after her, the girl in the black kimono stood alone on the banks of the river of Hell. There were peaceful times like this too, between jobs, when she almost felt content with it all. This "almost family" made her feel less…hollow inside. Like she wasn't alone. She chose each member herself to assist with her work, so it was fitting that she enjoyed their company. But the one known as Ichimokuren especially interested her. The two of them had a lot in common (well, they all did), and were about the same age. Although that age consisted for both of them of thousands of years of pain and suffering. They needed each other. They all did. But the two of them shared a bond so deep, they could never be separated, not by time, place, nor circumstance. They were connected by a red string of fate. Their bond was certain. However, when the work was done, what would become of the boy? The girl would be sent away to some pleasant afterlife once she paid off her debt. But as for him? He was merely her tool to assist her in doing that. She temporarily spared him from the clutches of eternal torment, and he was thankful. But he didn't want to lose her. Or, more accurately, couldn't afford to lose her.

* * *

He walked slowly back to her, grasping the retrieved flower in his left hand. When he reached her, he silently slipped it into hers, and she held it tightly. "Thank you" she said in her quiet, whispery voice. "You're welcome." Kikuri returned as well, greeting them obnoxiously yet again. "HEEEY! Didn't you hear me? There is a JOB." "I am coming," replied Ai. "Do not rush me." She walked slowly back to the house with the others following, three people alone in a sea of crimson flowers that rippled in the breeze like the surface of the ocean.


End file.
